The present invention relates to a method and system for tracking the progress of students. In particular, the invention relates to a method and system for tracking the progress of one or more students in a class course and comparing that progress to the progress of other students in the class.
Methods of distance learning have become increasingly common in education. xe2x80x9cDistance learningxe2x80x9d relates to classes that are taught by instructors located at a location different or remote from the students in the class. In many instances, each student is at a different location from the other students in the class. These classes may be taught by videotape, a video communication link, audiotapes, or written correspondence. These courses are particularly useful for students who wish to continue full or part-time employment while they earn credits toward a degree. In addition, distance learning benefits students who would otherwise need to relocate in order to attend classes in person and do not wish to do so.
With the increase in access to the World Wide Web, it is now feasible to provide educational opportunities over communication links such as the Internet. Through the Internet, it is possible to connect remotely located students and faculty in a more affordable and timely manner.
A problem with distance learning programs is the inability to simulate a classroom atmosphere where students are motivated by the performance of their peer students. In traditional classroom-based education, interaction in a classroom setting makes a student naturally aware of his or her relative status amongst classmates in terms of his or her progress toward completing class work. In particular, students exposed to classroom interaction compare the amount of work they have completed, their attendance, their participation, and their performance on graded work with that of fellow students. These facets of education are lacking when a student is disconnected from a classroom setting, and thus students lose their motivation to improve their work compared to the work of their peer students.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method for tracking and comparing the progress of a member in a group when data is transmitted by a member via a communication link.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method of tracking the progress of at least one student in a class course is provided. The method includes providing a computer network including a school computing system and one or more student computers connected by a communication link. Data relating to a course is stored in the school computing system, and then one or more course graphics representative of the course are generated. Information relating to performance of course activities is then transmitted from the one or more student computers to the school computing system via the communication link. Data relating to the progress of one or more students in the course based upon the transmitted information is then stored in the school computing system. Finally, one or more progress graphics representative of the progress of the one or more students in the course is generated.
In another aspect of the invention, a system for tracking the progress of one or more students in a class course is provided. The system includes a computer network having a school computing system and one or more student computers connected with the school computing system by a communication link. The school computing system includes one or more databases adapted to store data relating to the performance of course activities by one or more students in the course. The school computing system also includes a course graphic generator adapted to generate one or more course graphics representative of the course, and a progress graphic generator adapted to generate one or more progress graphics representative of the progress of the one or more students in the course.
Other aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the appended claims.